Ban on Surla bars extended by 30 days 

PANAJI: North Goa district collector Levinson Martins has extended for 30 more days the ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in Surla, which comes under the Thane-Dongurli village panchayat of Sattari taluka.

The order  has been issued under Section 29(A) of the Goa Excise Act and the Goa Excise Rules read with powers under sub-section (2) of Section I44 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, to curb the continuous menace, annoyance and nuisance created by tourists till the situation returns to normalcy.

“The situation in the village Surla has not normalised and still continues to be very fragile and vulnerable to the breach of peace. Hence the validity of period of the prohibitory order issued under Section  144 of CrPC stands further extended for prohibiting all liquor bars, shops, pubs, clubs, provision stores or any establishment serving or selling liquor or alcoholic beverages in retail or in packed bottles in the village of Surla, within the Dongurli, Thane village panchayat area of Sattari taluka for a further period of 30 days from August 19,” the order reads.

Extending the ban, the collector  observed that not only the villagers of Surla but people from border villages of Karnataka  are also agitated by the irritant presence of the bars.

The order said the situation in the village is still tense.

On July 20, the North Goa district collector had issued the  prohibitory order against the sale and serving of liquor for 30  days in the village.

The Surla villagers, who  have been agitating against the liquor menace, had  sought an extension of the prohibitory order.

They had   submitted a memorandum on July 27 for permanent  closure of bars.

In an earlier order, the North Goa district  collector had also directed the excise commissioner to verify and submit a detailed report as regards the existing bars and wholesale liquor shop/establishment serving liquor with respect to compliance of licence conditions, and to see whether the licences issued are in accordance with law.

However,  the excise commissioner had replied saying that the village panchayat has been asked to check whether the NOCs issued to bar owners are revoked or not.

The district collector has asked the panchayat secretary of Thane-Dongurli to clear the air on the letter from the excise department.

The collector has also asked officials of the excise department and the police to ensure strict enforcement of this prohibitory order.

Violation of the order should be reported to the excise commissioner as well as sub-divisional magistrate, Bicholim.